Score Lords In NFC Title Game

Comments (0)Matt Ryan will have his work cut out for him on Sunday to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. (USA TODAY Sports)

Like touchdowns? Have we got the football game for you.

The Green Bay Packers visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday (3:05 p.m. ET on FOX), in an NFC Championship Game showcasing two of the most high-powered offenses in the league, both led by MVP-worthy quarterbacks.

In the regular season, Atlanta's Matt Ryan completed 69.9 percent of his 534 pass attempts for 4,944 yards and threw 38 passing touchdowns to seven interceptions, while taking 37 sacks. Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers' numbers were equally as impressive: a 65.7 completion percentage on 610 attempts, 4,428 passing yards, 40 passing TDs and seven interceptions, while taking 35 sacks. Ryan's postseason completion percentage, albeit in one game, is 70.3. Rodgers', through two games, is 63.9. Rodgers has thrown six touchdowns and one interception, and has been sacked eight times. Ryan has three TDs, no interceptions and three sacks.

Though both Green Bay and Atlanta have shown an ability to play well on the defensive side of the ball -- the Packers' defense had 40 sacks on the season and two last Sunday, the Falcons' 34 sacks this season and three against Seattle in the divisional round -- all signs seem to point to offensive fireworks at the Georgia Dome.

Including the playoffs, the Falcons have had 12 games in which they have scored 30 or more points, while allowing 30-plus to opponents five times. The Packers have had eight such games of 30 or more points and six in which they have allowed 30 or more. All of the above applied to the two teams' meeting in Week 8 on Oct. 30, a 33-32 Falcons win in Atlanta.

Given the continued statistical similarities between Rodgers' and Ryan's seasons and of the Packers' and Falcons' offenses, it's hard to imagine anything other than yet another high-scoring, close game. After all, the Dallas offense is in the same explosive category and that, too, was a 30-plus point game for both the Cowboys and the Packers.

A strong ground attack can do more than just help take pressure off of the quarterback -- it can help the offense control the time of possession, something even more crucial when the opposing quarterback is of Rodgers' caliber. The Falcons rank 12th in rushing attempts this year, fifth in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns, with 20. Though the Devonta Freeman-Tevin Coleman combination may not be comparable to Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott (who rushed 22 times for 125 yards last Sunday), it's still better than Green Bay, which ranked 20th in rushing yards and 20th in rushing scores this season.

Expect the NFC Championship Game to be a close affair, like the October contest. We'll give the edge to Atlanta right now (for home-field and the rushing attack), but you know Rodgers will have a trick -- or a Hail Mary -- up his sleeve at some point. No matter what, there will be points. Oh, will there be points.